Court of Aether and Shadows (Crowned Monster Trilogy #1)

31. Stubborn Lords And Ancient Laws

Stubborn Lords And Ancient Laws

~ H ELLIOS~

I entered the Council chamber, my iridescent robes still crackling with residual energy from maintaining the privacy barrier.

The gathered assembly — Elders, Professors, and fellow Lords — were already deep in heated discussion about the morning's events.

"Unprecedented," Professor Serra from the Elemental Court was saying, her voice trembling with barely contained excitement. "The readings were beyond anything we've recorded in centuries."

"With a single step," Lord Thanatos of the Void Court added, his void-dark eyes gleaming with interest. "Imagine if she'd actually completed the scanning process."

Elder Moira's ancient voice cut through the excited murmurs.

"Let us not get ahead of ourselves. The initial lack of response cannot be ignored."

"Indeed," Elder Crystallos of the Aether Court agreed, his crystalline features rigid with disapproval. "A true vessel of prophecy would have activated the scanner immediately."

My power pulsed with irritation at their willful blindness.

"A true vessel," I said, making them all turn to acknowledge my arrival, "would have the wisdom to assess before acting. Or did you miss the calculating look in her eyes as she tested the scanner's sensitivity?"

"Always so quick to defend her, Lord Helios," Elder Crystallos sneered, his crystal features fracturing with disdain. "One might question your objectivity in this matter, especially with one who may look like the one you lost."

My power surged at his implied accusation, making the chamber's windows rattle.

"One might question your dedication to prophecy, Elder, given how eagerly you dismiss signs that don't fit your... comfortable narrative."

"Signs?" Elder Vex of the Void Court scoffed. "A delayed reaction and then system failure? Hardly the marks of a chosen one."

"No," I countered, my robes shifting through dangerous colors as I moved to the center of the chamber. "What we witnessed was perfect control. She assessed the scanner's capabilities, tested its limitations with minimal input, then demonstrated power levels that exceeded our measuring capacity with the smallest possible contact."

Lord Thanatos nodded slowly, void energy swirling around him.

"Strategic. Calculated. Like a warrior testing defenses before striking."

"Exactly," I agreed, pleased that at least one other Lord could see past ancient prejudices. "She's been trained to evaluate, to measure responses, to guard her power until necessary. It may have been in a different mundane aspect, but she unexpectedly applied the same principles in a new environment she knew nothing about. These are not weaknesses. They're survival skills honed in a world that would have destroyed her had she shown her full potential too soon."

Elder Moira stirred, her ancient eyes holding centuries of wisdom.

"You speak of her mundane realm training. The skills she developed as a... what did she call it? A contract operative?"

"An assassin, you mean," Elder Crystallos interjected. "Hardly fitting for?—"

"For what?" I cut him off, my voice carrying harmonics that made several Elders flinch. My power kept fluctuating in my tone of voice, despite my attempt to tame its essence. "For your precious traditions? Your comfortable assumptions about female practitioners? Tell me, how many of our most revered prophecies speak of gentle, predictable vessels?"

The chamber fell silent as my power filled the space, making the very air crackle with celestial energy.

"She bears the mark of both shadow and aether. Commands the respect of wolves from all courts. Crossed realms without training or guidance. And yet you sit here, clinging to your precious protocols, questioning her worthiness because she doesn't fit your narrow expectations."

"The laws exist for a reason, Lord Helios," Elder Crystallos attempted to rally. "The traditions?—"

"The traditions," I snarled, my patience finally snapping, "are exactly what blinded us the last time. Or have you forgotten the cost of your precious protocols?"

The words hung in the air like a physical force, making several of the assembled beings shift uncomfortably. They all knew what I referenced — who I referenced — though none dared speak of it directly.

"We will continue to observe all potential candidates," Elder Moira said diplomatically, though her ancient eyes held a knowing gleam. "Including your... unexpected student."

"There's nothing to observe," I stated firmly, my power still making the air thick with tension. "Sparrow is the one we've been waiting for. The signs are undeniable."

Elder Crystallos shifted, his crystalline form catching light unnecessarily — a nervous tell he'd never managed to control.

"Perhaps we should consider Lady Aurora's potential. Her Aether affinity scores were quite?—"

"Were quite predictable," I cut him off coldly, my iridescent robes darkening with irritation. "High Aether readings from a girl practically force-fed celestial magic since birth. How...revolutionary."

Professor Serra cleared her throat delicately.

"With all due respect to Lord Solarin's daughter," she began, referring to Aurora's absent father, "she's shown little innovation or true potential. Her power, while considerable, is..." she paused, searching for a diplomatic word.

"Inherited rather than earned," Lord Thanatos finished bluntly, his void energy swirling with amusement. "Like a child wearing her father's crown without understanding its weight."

"We will monitor the situation for one week," Elder Moira declared, effectively ending the debate. "Though I suspect, Lord Helios, you've already made your choice regarding her training."

The knowing look she gave me carried centuries of understanding. She, at least, remembered the last time such power had walked our halls.

"Two weeks," Elder Crystallos announced with poorly concealed satisfaction. "The trial begins in two weeks."

The chamber's atmosphere shifted instantly.

Even my power flickered with surprise.

"Trial?" Lord Thanatos straightened, void energy coiling tightly around him. "What trial?"

Elder Moira's ancient voice carried the weight of finality.

"The Council has decided to implement a reduction trial. The student body will be...adjusted from its current numbers to a more manageable twenty-five percent."

"Twenty-five?" Professor Serra gasped. "You mean to eliminate seventy-five percent of our students? After accepting them?"

"This is unprecedented," another professor protested. "These students were chosen, and will be tested further?—"

"Clearly not tested well enough to be worthy of our time and efforts," Elder Crystallos interrupted, his crystal features catching light triumphantly. "Given certain... unexpected acceptances."

My power surged, making several artifacts in the room rattle.

"Careful, Elder. Your prejudice is showing."

"It's not prejudice," Elder Vex spoke up, shadows writhing around his form. "It's a necessity. Too many students showed unexpected potential during scanning. The prophecy speaks of chosen ones, not chosen hundreds."

"This trial," Elder Moira continued firmly, "will separate those truly destined for greatness from those who merely possess power. It is... efficient."

"Efficient?" I couldn't keep the scorn from my voice. "Like your efficiency centuries ago? When your 'trials' cost us?—"

"Perhaps," Elder Crystallos's crystal features fractured into a cruel smile, "the real reason for your...passionate defense of this girl has less to do with prophecy and more to do with ancient history,” he remarks and dares to mutter, “still bitter about losing Princess Liarel to Lord Aetheron, aren't you?"

The temperature in the chamber dropped dramatically as my power surged.

"Choose your next words carefully, Elder."

"Why should I?" he pressed, either brave or foolish enough to continue. "We all see it! Another chance to steal what belongs to the Twilight Court. To finally best your old rival?—"

"You dare," my voice carried harmonics that shattered several crystal ornaments, "speak of Liarel? You dare reduce her choice, her sacrifice, to mere court politics?" My iridescent robes blazed with barely contained celestial energy. "I hold no grudge against Aetheron. Our history is our own, and YOU are not worthy to speak her name."

"Yet here you are," Crystallos persisted, "circling another powerful female tied to the Lord of Twilight and Shadows. History does tend to repeat?—"

"ENOUGH!" Elder Moira's voice cracked through the chamber like thunder. "This petty bickering serves no?—"

The shadows in the room suddenly deepened, coalescing into a familiar form. My power hummed in delight, the familiarity of those threads of shadows easily recognizable without me seeing the owner of such authority.

Lord Aetheron materialized from the darkness, his molten-gold eyes taking in the scene with dangerous amusement.

"Well," he said, his voice carrying the weight of eternal night, "this is certainly an interesting discussion you're having about my queen."

My power crackled against Aetheron's shadows as our eyes met. The familiar mixture of rivalry, respect, and something far more complicated passed between us.

"Helios," he greeted, his voice carrying a warmth that contradicted the predatory grace of his movements. "Still letting the Council bait you into old arguments, I see."

"Aetheron," I acknowledged stiffly, though I couldn't help noting how his shadows seemed to dance playfully with my celestial energy like they remembered our shared past.

To everyone's surprise, Aetheron turned to Elder Crystallos with a smile that held centuries of dangerous knowledge.

"You speak so confidently of matters you know nothing about, Elder. Shall we discuss what really happened when Liarel made her choice?"

The crystal being's smug expression faltered slightly.

"Yes, she chose me," Aetheron continued, his golden eyes flickering briefly to me. "But not because Helios was unworthy. In fact, if I recall correctly, and I do, with perfect clarity, it was this very Council that forced her hand."

The chamber grew deathly quiet as Aetheron's shadows spread, carrying the weight of ancient memories.

"Shall we remind everyone present how you threatened her with death? Or perhaps the more creative threat of ensuring she could never bear children if she dared accept both of us as her consorts?"

My power surged in response to the memories, making the windows rattle. The younger Council members looked shocked, while the Elders who had been present then seemed to shrink in their seats.

"The great protectors of tradition," Aetheron's voice dripped with elegant venom, "so afraid of change that they would rather destroy a prophesied queen than allow her to forge her own path. So tell me, Elder Crystallos, who really stood between Liarel and her destiny?"

"That was a different time," Elder Crystallos attempted to defend, though his crystal form had lost its luster. "The traditions?—"

"The traditions you hide behind like shields?" Aetheron cut him off. " The same traditions you now use to judge new potential? How convenient."

He moved through the chamber with liquid grace, his shadows intertwining with my celestial energy in a display that made several Council members shift uncomfortably.

"Perhaps we should move this conversation in a more productive direction. The Twilight Court prefers not to dwell in petty grievances, but if pushed..." his molten eyes swept the room, "we will gladly illuminate certain historical truths that some would rather keep in the shadows."

The threat, elegantly delivered but unmistakable, hung in the air like a blade.

Elder Moira cleared her throat, effectively cutting through the tension.

"Perhaps we should return to the matter of the upcoming trials, like Lord Aetheron encourages" she suggested, her ancient eyes holding both wisdom and concern. "Two weeks until commencement."

"With all due respect," Professor Serra spoke up, her elemental magic stirring restlessly, "that timeline seems deliberately prohibitive. Most of our students have never been in an environment where they could freely use their gifts."

Professor Umbra from the Void Court nodded, void energy swirling around her form.

"Sixty percent of our current student body is female. Many come from backgrounds where using their power meant risking exposure or worse. They've spent years suppressing their abilities, not honing them."

"Precisely my point," Elder Crystallos started but was cut off by an unexpected voice.

"Your point being what, exactly?" Professor Lunara of the Aether Court challenged, her light magic pulsing with barely contained anger. "That women who were forced to hide their powers are somehow less worthy than those who had the privilege of open training? How wonderfully convenient for your...traditional views."

I noticed Aetheron's shadows curl with approval as more professors joined the debate.

"These young women need time to acclimate," Professor Thornheart of the Elemental Court added. "Many have never held a proper focus crystal, never channeled raw energy, never even attempted basic court magic. Two weeks isn't an adjustment period. It's a setup for failure."

"And let's be honest," Professor Nightshade from the Shadow Court interjected, her shadows dancing with determination, "this accelerated timeline could be viewed as a deliberate attempt to eliminate certain...demographics from our program before they have a chance to prove themselves."

The implications hung heavy in the air.

Even some of the more traditional Council members shifted uncomfortably.

"A month," Lord Thanatos suggested, his void-dark eyes scanning the room. "Give them one month to find their footing. To learn basic control, to understand their court affinities, to at least grasp the fundamental principles of magical combat and defense."

That should be a decent amount of time.

"After which," he continued before any could object, "the first trial will determine official academy placement. Those who prove themselves worthy will then receive more specialized training, while those who..." he paused diplomatically, "require other paths will be guided accordingly."

Elder Moira nodded slowly, clearly considering the proposal.

"And what of the classes during this preparatory month?"

"Basic foundations for all," Professor Serra suggested quickly. "Court magic orientation, energy manipulation principles, magical theory, and history. Give them the tools they need to at least attempt the trials fairly."

"After which," I added, my celestial energy pulsing with purpose, "those who remain will be sorted into more specialized programs based on their demonstrated abilities and potential."

"It would be more... equitable," Elder Moira acknowledged, though some of the other Elders still looked resistant. "And would prevent any accusations of...institutional bias."

"A month of preparation serves multiple purposes," Aetheron spoke, his shadows intertwining thoughtfully with my celestial energy in a way that made several Council members shift uncomfortably.

It was a reminder of how powerful we were together, despite our differences. That’s also could be why he kept allowing his energy to be laced in his speech.

"Indeed," I agreed, surprising many with my support of my supposed rival. "Those of us tasked with specialized training would benefit from observing potential candidates in foundational settings first. It would make the selection process for private instruction more...efficient."

Professor Serra brightened at our unified front.

"Exactly! We could structure the month in phases. Week one: Basic Energy manipulation and court affinity testing. Week two: Magical Theory and Historical Context. Week three: Beginning Combat and Defensive Magic. Week four: Preliminary Specialized Skills based on Demonstrated Aptitudes."

"This would also allow us to identify those with multiple court affinities," Professor Umbra added, her void energy swirling excitedly. "Like certain students who've already displayed...interesting combinations."

The pointed reference to Sparrow made Elder Crystallos bristle, but before he could object, I continued smoothly.

"Moreover, it would give the professors time to properly evaluate which students might benefit from specific types of instruction. Private lessons are, after all, a significant investment of our time and energy."

"And those of us with other court duties," Aetheron added with a meaningful look at the Council, "would be better able to balance our responsibilities if we weren't rushing to identify suitable candidates while simultaneously preventing magical accidents from unprepared students."

Elder Moira nodded in approval, everyone seemingly liking the overall new direction we were going.

One month to get Sparrow and her pups to learn this world’s customs in preparation for this trial.

As the meeting disbanded, Elder Crystallos couldn't resist one final barb.

"How convenient that the Lord of Twilight and Shadows appears precisely when his...interests are being discussed. One might question the security of our Council chambers."

Aetheron turned slowly, his shadows dancing with dangerous amusement.

"I sensed a certain woman’s energy spike with a potential threat. You'll forgive me if I felt compelled to investigate, especially when I’m responsible for her wellbeing despite being on neutral grounds." His molten eyes glittered with malice barely masked by politeness. "After all, it is her first day of academy life. What kind of potential partner would I be if I didn't ensure her comfort and safety?"

“P-Partner,” Elder Crystallos gasped. “You’d make a move on a woman you barely know? Your heart must still ache after all these centuries.”

“That’s where I beg to differ,” Aetheron confesses. “For my soul knows that woman inside out. My shadows heed her call like her twilight sings in my presence. I know the presence of my wife reborn. It’s only the rest of you who wish to appease your doubts and fears and prolong acknowledging who the chosen one really is.”

The gathered professors and remaining Council members held their breath as Aetheron's smile turned predatory.

"Though I suppose you wouldn't know much about that, would you, Crystallos? Hard to understand the bonds of marriage when one's heart is quite literally crystal."

Several gasps echoed through the chamber.

Everyone knew of Crystallos's failed attempts at marriage — his inability to form emotional connections had become something of a whispered legend in the courts.

The Elder's crystal form fractured with fury, light refracting through his anger.

"How dare you?—"

"As enlightening as this exchange promises to be," I interrupted, my iridescent robes shifting with barely contained power, "Lord Aetheron and I have other matters to attend to. The Elders, in their infinite wisdom, have requested we demonstrate more.. .teamwork. "

The word dripped with sarcasm, though whether directed at the Elders' request or our notorious history, even I wasn't entirely sure.

"Indeed," Aetheron agreed smoothly, his shadows already reaching for my celestial energy in a display that made several onlookers step back. "Though I'm sure Elder Crystallos will find some way to twist even this into court conspiracy."

Without waiting for a response, we turned and left the chamber, our combined powers making the very air crackle with potential.

The last thing we heard was Elder Crystallos's spluttering attempts at a retort, cut off by Elder Moira's sharp reprimand.